Episode 54: Stephen Walt

Stephen Walt is one of America’s best known international relations theorists. He’s probably most famous for his “Balance of Threat” theory, which was published in his groundbreaking study “The Origins of Alliances.” In this episode, Walt discusses growing up in Northern California; recounts his intellectual development in high school and university; and tells the story of his “a-ha!” moment during writing the “Origins of Alliances.” This is a lively conversation and a great deep dive into the intellectual development of one of America’s leading foreign policy scholars. Syria, “The Israel Lobby,” and more are discussed. Enjoy!